The Rudy Project Defender sunglasses don’t just look aggressive—their broad field of vision, robust photochromic lens, and rapid anti-fogging abilities help you ride as aggressively as you like. The Italian-made shades have a round, face-hugging shape, and the adjustable nosepiece and adjustable temples allow some flex for a near custom fit. The interchangeable bumpers enable fast lens changes and protect the ImpactX-2 photochromic lens, which develops a tint shortly after you step into the light. During two months of testing, I was impressed by the Defender’s durability and fog-shedding properties, although I wish the temples were a bit longer for a more secure fit.

The Defender’s photochromic lens adapts to changing light.

Trevor Raab

Flexible Frame and No-Fog Lens

The Defender’s frame is a flexible polymer—Rudy Project refreshingly describes it as “plastic”—with rubbery temple tips, nosepiece inserts, and bumpers that surround the bottom half of the lens. There are eight ventilation holes on the frame’s brow and four in the bumpers, which correspond to ventilation holes on the temple tips: The design is meant to channel air through the glasses to prevent fogging while maximizing aerodynamics. Rudy Project quotes a weight of 28 grams, although our scale weighed the Defender at 34 grams—they still feel lightweight on the face, anyway. The glasses are made in Italy, if that matters to you.

There’s one other unavoidable detail on the frames: The Defenders are shades that make people think you do extreme sports. They’ve got a bit of an Oakley Razor Blade aesthetic going on. One friend told me, “You look like what people in the 1980s thought people in 2010 would look like.” Fair enough.

Lenses are easily interchangeable.

Trevor Raab

Fast-Changing Photochromic Lens

The ImpactX-2 Photochromic lens adapts to changing light quickly, which is great for trail riding when there are gaps of sunlight within the canopy. You could save $50 and buy the non-photochromic model if you prefer a specific lens tint, but if that doesn’t matter to you, it’s tough to beat the convenience of clear glasses that become shades at a moment’s notice. Swapping lenses is easy: The bumpers slip off the lens and it pops off with a push. The motion is perhaps too easy, as I accidentally popped the lens out while handling the glasses.

I treated the Defender worse than you probably will. I seldom transported them in a case, dropped them on pavement a few times, and generally disregarded every facet of proper sunglass handling. Looking at the lens post-test, I can see one tiny, surface-level scratch. Given the abuse, I’m impressed by the lens durability.

The Defender’s temple tips bend to fit your face.

Trevor Raab

Long-Term Test Impressions

The Defender frames have a wide, round profile that helps them hug your face, and the rubbery bumpers beneath the lens keep the glasses comfortable when they contact your cheeks (I imagine they’re extra beneficial in the event of a crash). The adjustable nosepiece helps you position the glasses at the desired distance from your face. However, I had to bend the temple tips inward to secure the glasses against my mid-sized noggin, and the bend kept the glasses from easily resting in my helmet vents. Minor gripe, sure, but I’d like the glasses better if they had longer temples that felt secure without having to bend them inward for tightness.

On the bike, I loved the Defender’s protection and anti-fogging capabilities. I never felt water inside the glasses when I splashed through puddles that drenched my face. The glasses would inevitably fog up once I stopped riding mid-way up a tough climb, but they immediately cleared up when I resumed movement with no cleaning required. The photochromic lens tints nearly black in sunlight, and although you don’t get the vision advantage of a tint that’s specific to the terrain, the lens provided ample sun protection during testing. If you’re after a different lens color, Rudy Project sells eight alternatives. Save the short temples and accidentally removable lens, the Defender proved itself worthy of cyclists who ride hard and expect their eyewear to keep up.

Dan RoeTest EditorA former Division 1 runner, Dan grew up riding fixies and mountain bikes and now reviews everything from performance running shoes to road and cross bikes, to the latest tech for runners and cyclists at Bicycling and Runner’s World.

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